


Internal Clock

by Sally M (sallymn)



Category: White Collar
Genre: Angst, Episode: s01e14 Out of the Box, Gen, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-24
Updated: 2012-11-24
Packaged: 2017-11-19 09:36:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sallymn/pseuds/Sally%20M
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His world exploded...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Internal Clock

**Author's Note:**

> Set immediately after 'Out of the Box'.

**Internal Clock**

Twelve minutes after the world ended - timed by the beating of his heart - his ears stop ringing, and he can hear the flames roaring over the screams in his head and his own tearing breath. He is shaking. 

More than half an hour before Peter's hands lose their fierce grip, another ten minutes before he is carefully turned to look into brown eyes, then to bury his head in a friend's chest and try not to hear, see, think. 

An hour before he can stop crying. An hour and fifteen minutes before people - Diana? - the marshals? airport security?- get too close, make him get up, stand up. 

An hour and twenty-eight minutes before Peter gets him to the car, away from the burning place. 

Three hours, fifteen minutes and they are at June's. She is there, and Elizabeth, and Jones, all looking at him as he tries - for what seems like forever, but is another twelve minutes - to think what to say. Peter steers him up to his bed, lies him on it, doesn't leave. 

Six hours and his eyes, that hurt like his throat and his skin and his heart, are still open. 

Seven, and he thinks he hears Mozzie shouting, harsh and hurt and disbelieving. 

Twelve long hours before his eyes close in something that isn't sleep, and flames and smoke and her face _ohgodburning_ appears on his eyelids like white fire. 

Early morning, and he wakes out of a dream of something searingly like love slipping through his hands, and lies staring at the darkness, knowing Peter is there, knowing she is not. 

Twenty hours and the Marshals come to take him, and he doesn't care. 

Twenty three hours, six minutes, twelve seconds after the world exploded... he might stop shaking. 

**\- the end -**


End file.
